News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 17-Jun-2025 19:10 ET (17-Jun-2025 23:10 GMT/UTC)

26-Jul-2022

Study reveals set of deregulated genes in pancreatic cancer and points to potential therapeutic targets

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the University of São Paulo analyzed the expression of long non-coding RNAs, the type that does not give rise to proteins, in samples from patients and tumor cell lines, identifying a group of genes with augmented expression in pancreatic cancer

Journal

Cellular Oncology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

21-Jul-2022

North Atlantic temperature helps forecast extreme events in Northeast Brazil up to 3 months in advance

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The finding comes from a study reported by scientists from Brazil, China, Australia and Germany in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The group used a novel methodology focusing on low rainfall and severe drought

Journal

Geophysical Research Letters

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

20-Jul-2022

Study shows that amino acid taurine could be used in anti-aging therapy

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A clinical trial involving women aged 55-70 suggests that supplementing diet with this nutrient can reinforce the organism’s antioxidant defenses and possibly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Studies with more volunteers are needed to confirm the effect

Journal

Nutrition

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

18-Jul-2022

Study reveals how novel coronavirus manipulates cells to replicate

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Cell culture trial shows interaction between cellular protein PCNA and SARS-CoV-2 protein M. Human protein PCNA migrates from cell nucleus to cytoplasm in the presence of protein M

Journal

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

18-Jul-2022

Researchers validate a new cardiovascular risk score for Latin America and the Caribbean

MELISA Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

There was currently no specific risk algorithm for this region, so this development will allow greater accuracy in identifying people at high risk of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice.

Journal

The Lancet Regional Health - Americas

Funder

Wellcome Trust

15-Jul-2022

Technology optimizes renewable energy generation from malting barley bagasse by the beer industry

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research group at the State University of Campinas proposes treating the solid waste produced by breweries with ultrasound before submitting it to the process of digestion by microorganisms. The strategy obtains larger amounts of methane, which can be used by the brewery itself to generate electricity and heat. The final waste can be used as crop fertilizer

Journal

Journal of Cleaner Production

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

14-Jul-2022

Does this ring a bell? Wild bats can remember sounds for years

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

There are certain skills that once we acquire them, we rarely have to relearn them, like riding a bike or looking both ways before crossing a street. Most studies on learning and long-term memory in the wild focus on a handful of animal species. Now, in a publication in Current Biology, researchers working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) share the first report of long-term memory in frog-eating bats (Trachops cirrhosus).

Journal

Current Biology

Funder

U.S. National Science Foundation, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

13-Jul-2022

Novel compounds discovered in marine sponge can kill drug-resistant bacteria

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Several substances that killed antibiotic-resistant bacteria were found by Brazilian researchers in a marine sponge native to Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago off the coast of the Northeast

Journal

Journal of Natural Products

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

12-Jul-2022

Have Antillean manatees crossed the Panama Canal?

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Over half a century ago, a group of manatees from Bocas del Toro was flown into the artificial Gatun Lake to control the abundance of aquatic plants and for public health reasons. Where are they now?

Journal

Marine Mammal Science

8-Jul-2022

Study shows that 8% of athletes have persistent symptoms after contracting COVID-19

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at the University of São Paulo analyzed 43 scientific articles with data for some 11,500 athletes. The findings point to the need for carefully personalized assessment of athletes and sports players before a resumption of training is allowed, they warn

Journal

British Journal of Sports Medicine

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo